“Myanmar should release all political prisoners”

Welcoming the release of Myanmar's pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa on Sunday said Myanmar should release all the remaining political prisoners and stop suppression of human rights of those seeking an end to military rule.

The party secretary for political affairs, Kanwar Pal Singh, said Ms. Suu Kyi was “an inspiration for all who believe in the freedom of speech, democracy, liberty and human rights.” Even though she was free from detention, Ms. Suu Kyi had a long way to go to “free” her country from military dictatorship. He alleged that the regime had continued with its brutal incarceration of 2,100 political prisoners and was carrying out a campaign of rape against ethnic minority women, he said.

Human rights issues

Dal Khalsa was of the opinion that while U.S. President Barack Obama, in his speech to Parliament, took India to task for not speaking against suppression of human rights in Myanmar, he failed to take note of India's human rights problems. “The selective approach of the U.S. leader in raising rights abuses has sent wrong signals,” Mr. Singh said.

The Sikh organisation went on to blame Mr. Obama for choosing to ignore the New York-based Human Rights Watch findings that India had mortgaged its voice on human rights issues to pursue strategic ties with Myanmar's military junta.